Sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson sit in starboard side risers to help measure the ship's angle of list. Much is done to balance the ship as it sits at the pier.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Tom Izzo, left, head coach of Michigan State's basketball team, and Roy Williams, head coach of the University of North Carolina share a laugh at the podium during the press conference for the Quicken Loans Court Classic Thursday during media ...
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Ryan Mitchell, right, watches Richard Vartigian measure the height of the basketball upright as it was raised into position aboard the Carl Vinson Thursday morning.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

As scaffolding work and flooring work continued on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, the USS Ronald Reagan came pierside at North Island Naval Air Station.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

View from the island of the USS Carl Vinson of the city skyline and under construction seating of the seating on the for the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic.
— John R. McCutchen / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre

Thinking that it is not going to rain during game time, workers scraped plans to build a second court in the hangar of the USS Carl Vinson in preparation for Friday's Carrier Classic basketball game.
— K.C. Alfred

Thinking that it is not going to rain during game time, workers scraped plans to build a second court in the hangar of the USS Carl Vinson in preparation for Friday's Carrier Classic basketball game.
— K.C. Alfred

Gary Gray who played forward for UCSB back in the day and later spent time playing professional basketball in Europe, now installs sports flooring.. Here, he dribbles downcourt and tries out one section of court in the shadow of the ...
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Jason Ganes who is helping to install the court for the carrier classic uses a basketball to check the court after half of its length was finished around noon Tuesday.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

The view from the superstructure of the USS Carl Vinson shows the progress of the basketball court construction with the view of downtown San Diego in the background.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

As scaffolding work and flooring work continued on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, the USS Ronald Reagan came pierside at North Island Naval Air Station.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Farner, who was on Coronado Island on Thursday, took some time to talk to the Union-Tribune by phone on what he's seeing in mortgage trends, what the company is doing for military families and tips for potential borrowers.

Q: The big news in the mortgage industry are lower-than-ever interest rates. What else are you seeing out there?

A: We've seen refinancing activity during last few years, in particular the last 90 days, really pick up. Rates are in the low four percent range, probably probably the lowest we've seen in the last 60 years.

We’ve also seen some purchase activity pick up, particularly a lot of competition in well-kept homes. We know there are some homes that are in not-so good condition because they're bank-owned. But the client-owned (properties,) people are getting offers, very quickly in certain areas of the country.

The other thing we've noticed is people wanting to refinance into lower interest rates but they've been in their mortgage for three years, six years, and hate go back to a 30-year fixed mortgage. So we've got a "YOURgage," which can be any term you want, from eight years to 30 years.

Q: There's a big military community here in San Diego County. Is your company offering any products or offers that are geared toward this demographic?

A: Yes, we're really focused on this. We have a specialized group in Cleveland, and the leader of that group has a military background. And that's why we're doing the Carrier Classic (game.) We're trying to to get closer to the military and understand their needs, in terms of mortgages, VA loans.

Q: Could you offer a few mortgage tips to our readers?

A: It never hurts to ask questions. There's no harm in picking up the phone or going online and ask about something you don't know. Work with somebody who's going to understand your goals. There are lots of mortgages out there. There are VA loans, FHA loans, ARMs for the right person..